PRB: When to Call AfxDaoTerm() in an Automation Server

• The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) included with: - Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, versions 4.0, 4.1, 4.2,

       4.2b, 5.0
  

SYMPTOMS

MFC DLLs and OCXs that use DAO need to call AfxDaoTerm() to terminate DAO before their ExitInstance() function is called. MFC, by default, calls AfxDaoTerm() from within CWinApp::ExitInstance().

An automation server may expose multiple objects that use DAO. Calling AfxDaoTerm() when one of these objects is destructed may have the undesired effect of terminating DAO for all other objects that may still be in use.

RESOLUTION

MFC keeps an internal object lock count of automation objects in the module state. The constructor of each object exposed by the automation server calls AfxOleLockApp() to increment this count and calls AfxOleUnlockApp() to decrement it.

An MFC DLL automation server gets unloaded when the AfxOleCanExitApp() function returns TRUE. This function checks the object lock count and returns TRUE if no objects are in use. The default implementation of DllCanUnloadNow() in an AppWizard-generated automation server looks like this:

   STDAPI DllCanUnloadNow(void)
   {
       AFX_MANAGE_STATE(AfxGetStaticModuleState());
       return AfxDllCanUnloadNow();
   }

   STDAPI DllCanUnloadNow(void)
   {
       AFX_MANAGE_STATE(AfxGetStaticModuleState());

       if (AfxOleCanExitApp())
           AfxDaoTerm();

       return AfxDllCanUnloadNow();
   }

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

REFERENCES

For more information, please refer to the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE ID: Q143084
   TITLE     : FIX: Problems with Using the MFC DAO Classes in a .DLL or
               .OCX

   ARTICLE ID: Q149889
   TITLE     : PRB: Assertion or Problems Using DAO in a DLL

Keywords          : MfcDAO kbprg
Technology        : kbMfc
Version           : WINDOWS NT: 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.2b 5.0
Platform          : NT WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb